knight of the cherokee rose
by Calliope67
Summary: he needed to take care of something, something to protect them all he couldn't relax couldn't settle down have a life or home till that man was dead the man that took away two of his family. caryl, implied richonne.
1. Chapter 1

**Daryl**

He stood at the gates of the kingdom bag at his feet waiting for the all clear to go when she came out of the building running down to him like After years of being held back, she had forgotten how to stop herself from clinging to the life before negan before terminus before everything fell apart he caught her just as the first all clear sounded she hid her face not wanting him to see how much him leaving was killing her she stuttered "i-iiits's going to be hard going on without you here you know for everyone." she pulled back and he sighs "It doesn't matter if it's 'hard', ya need to keep going. This could be the end for us don't let it be, keep an eye on Ezekiel he's not right in the head stay safe." he grabbed her chin making her look up at him "carol out of all the shit cant ya believe we'll make it through this." she glanced up her hair long enough now to hang in her face checking his face seeing if he believed a fraction of what he was saying but through the mess of greasy tendrils and dirt what lay there the look he gave spoke volumes to the opposite he was trying to convince her and himself too she sighed as she brushed her hand across his forehead brushing the hair from his eye's "Daryl how can we first Beth, now Glenn, the girls how can you believe we'll survive, trouble always finds us no matter where we are like the quarry, the farm, the prison, Alexandria too we can't hide can't run negan's gonna come back Daryl he'll find you its only a matter of when, you can't pretend like your not afraid I can see it in your eye's your terrified." he hummed softly nodding "yeah terrified but not for myself for you and everyone else, out there with the walkers thats the safest place for me I don't belong in a community not like rick, michonne or you never have only thing that kept me here and all those other places was you." he reached out and wiped her tears away with his thumb "you always said you wanted a man of honor well let me be that with me gone you'll be safe and when I take care of this I'll come back be the man you rightly deserve." she knew now what he was really doing he was going back to the place that locked him up nearly killed him and a sob escaped her throat "no Daryl you cant go back you wont be able to get to him." he smiled "no worries I got eyes on the inside can get me to him no-one'll ever know." she squeezed his hand as the next all clear sounded only two more "please at least take someone with you for back up it's not safe alone." He held her back with fingertips, breathing her name "carol, ya know I cant do that when I get there he'll be out collecting from Alexandria and here he'll know if someones missing and I work better alone can keep the situation better in control that way." he squeezed her shoulders "hey I may be leavin', but ya need to know that I will always come back for ya." she pulled him against her "i know you cant stay you have to finish this just please come back and be careful." he smiled as the next all clear sounded "i will come back promise." he hoisted his bag on his shoulder as the last all clear sounded and the gates opened she touched his cheek and brushed his hair back and reaches up and kisses his forehead "for luck." she whispers when she hugging him again he laughs "shoot women I could die and thats all you got." he grabs the back of her neck with one hand and lays the other on the small of her back bringing his mouth to hers kissing her softly till he felt a small moan against his mouth he stepped back running his hand across her cheek "thats luck darlin' you watch yourself here with Morgan k." she nods "no problem pookie." he squeezes her hand "see you soon." then he turns and walks away through the gate he glanced back as it closed and she smiled softly and blew him a kiss he smiled a the gates locked behind him and the guard approached him with a crossbow "miss carol said you where good with one of these we don't have anyone that can use it so his highness said you can have it and we have some back up weapons for you gun couple extra clips and this was from miss carol." he pulled out a grenade like the one she gave rick at the CDC he smirked "course it was, that women." he took it and stuck it in the side of his bag "tell her thanks this just might come in handy." the guard nodded Daryl slipped a hand in his vest pocket and realized something he pulled off the bag and his vest slipping the bag and crossbow back on his shoulder and looked at the guard folding the vest into a square and passing it over to the guard "give this to carol let her know- tell her you know this is just in case I don't make it back." the guards eyes dropped to the vest knowing now what it really meant "no problem I'll take it up myself make sure she gets it and knows." Daryl grunts in thanks and walks into the woods the moans of the dead covering up his retreat.

 **Carol**

She knew this was coming he would have to go his safety depended on it and the pain from all the stuff that he's gone through weighed on him she saw it in his eyes while he was healing she ran to him when the first signal sounded she knew there would be three more she had time when she reached him she couldn't look into his eyes "i-iiits's going to be hard going on without you here you know for everyone." he sighed his signal that he was stressed out his hand hesitated but he fought through it and touched her chin "It doesn't matter if it's 'hard', ya need to keep going. This could be the end for us don't let it be, keep an eye on Ezekiel he's not right in the head stay safe." his hand stayed on her chin and she understood that he couldn't handle leaving again "carol out of all the shit cant ya believe we'll make it through this." looked up at him noticing her hair getting longer she looked at his face and in his eye's were tired and broken she saw fear deep in the blue-green soft pools of his eye's she brushed the hair from his forehead bring him what little comfort she could "Daryl how can we first Beth, now Glenn, the girls how can you believe we'll survive, trouble always finds us no matter where we are like the quarry, the farm, the prison, Alexandria too we can't hide, can't run negan's gonna come back Daryl he'll find you its only a matter of when, you cant pretend like your not afraid I can see it in your eye's your terrified." he hummed and for a second she thought he'd shut her out but he started talking "yeah terrified but not for myself for you and everyone else, out there with the walkers thats the safest place for me I don't belong in a community not like rick, michonne or you, never have, only thing that kept me here and all those other places was you." knowing that he was trying just for her caused tears to roll down her cheeks she felt a warmth ghost her cheek and realized he was wiping her tears away and was talking again "you always said you wanted a man of honor well let me be that with me gone you'll be safe and when I take care of this I'll come back be the man you rightly deserve." her heart exploded and she sobbed "no Daryl you cant go back you wont be able to get to him." his smile made her fears melt away "no worries I got eyes on the inside can get me to him no-one'll ever know." she grabbed his hand as the second all clear sounded she only had two more to go her fear creeped into her voice with each signal bringing them closer to his leaving "please at least take someone with you for back up it's not safe alone." he grabbed her shoulders grazing across her skin with his fingertips "carol, ya know I cant do that when I get there he'll be out collecting from Alexandria and here he'll know if someones missing and I work better alone can keep the situation better in control that way." her pain was getting harder and harder to reign in and he squeezed her shoulders "hey I may be leavin', but ya need to know that I will always come back for ya." her emotions getting the better of her she pulled herself against him and felt him relax against her his head falling into her shoulder like when she saved them from terminus she smiled "i know you cant stay you have to finish this just please come back and be careful." he pulled back and smiled as the next signal sounded punching a hole in her chest "i will come back promise." she backed up as he lifted his bag on his shoulder the final signal sounded and she saw the gates open she took a chance touched his cheek feeling him lean against it softly brushing his hair away and kissing his forehead smiling "for luck." she whispered stepping back then pulling him in a hug she saw a switch flip in his eyes and he chuckled causing her to smile bigger then he surprised her by pulling her tighter "shoot women I could die and thats all you got." a hand snaked to her lower back and one went to her neck and he kissed her she didn't know what she was expecting from his kiss but it was softer and gentler then she thought a small moan bubbled out of her and he backed up his hand brushed across her cheek "thats luck darlin' you watch yourself here with Morgan k." her fear brushed away with his hand her teasing automatic "no problem pookie." he grabbed her hand and squeezed "see you soon." he turned walking through the gate glancing back at her she hid her fear blowing a kiss to him seeing his smile as the gates locked behind him she sighed softly "pookie be careful take care of the threat and come back." Morgan approached behind her almost completely silent "how many suicide missions can one man possibly survive." Morgan squeezed her shoulder and sighed "i know I don't know him like you do but if anyone can do this its gonna be him he took a bullet, a beating and I don't know what else but he's strong that man he'll find away back for you." she nodded tears in her eye's "he took a bullet and an arrow for my baby girl back in Georgia didn't have to but that didn't stop him from wanting to search, kept looking even when everyone else wanted to give up." Morgan looked down at her "that death it brought you two together. Hey don't cry not here lets get you to your room." she nodded and he took her to her room and sat her on the bed "you need anything I'll be in the gym just relax awhile he'll be back I got a good feeling about that man he was made for this world but it hasn't broke his heart not yet if you live his heart will too so protect his heart protect yourself." Morgan turned and walked out but before the door closed she nodded "thanks Morgan really and sorry bout your son never got to tell you that." he nodded but kept walking the door shut and she shrugged off her jacket laying her gun on the bedside table pulling off her shoes when there was a knock at the door she padded over and opened it seeing the guard from the gate "miss carol I was told to bring this to you he wanted to say thanks for the grenade said it should help and that this was to keep you safe you know just in case something goes wrong." she takes it in her hands and nodded "thanks sir-." he nods "grant the names grant." she smiled softly "thanks sir grant." he bows and she closes the door sliding down against it the tears spilling down her face bringing the vest against her chest "Daryl don't be stupid come back I need you please." she took the vest and wrapped it around her pulling her arms through the sleeve-holes and taking deep breathes smelling his woodsy natural smell through the stench of the dead and cried "don't die now you cant you just showed me how you feel and I need you." she crawled into the window seat with a blanket and his vest and watched the people outside for while when a few people passed through the gates and she noticed who they where people from Alexandria rick and Judith, michonne and Maggie she smiled but stayed put they came for Ezekiel not her if they wanted to see her they could come up or send for her. She climbed out of the window and sat in the bed she sighs noticing a shirt hanging out from under the end of the bed she crawled to the end of the bed and pulled it up it was Daryl the one he wore when he came back blood on the shoulder dried out and stiff she picked it up and walked to her bathroom running the shirt under the water trying to scrub the blood out crying quietly not hearing the knock at the door.

 **Maggie.**

After waiting a bit Maggie walked in her room and looked around noting the bed roll on the floor by the side of the bed and heard the water in the other room she walks in and saw a sight she wouldn't soon forget carol was standing in front of the sink wearing Daryl's vest she smiled softly and walked closer knocking on the wall carol looked up back at her from the mirror carol dropped the shirt into the sink and turned around Maggie smiled "hi I heard you were here." she pointed to the vest "so did this finally go somewhere." carol pulled her into her arms "I'm so sorry I heard Glenn, the baby, I-please let me know what can I do for you sweetie." Maggie smiled tears pooling in her eyes "you gotta promise me you'll come home when Daryl finishes what he needs to do bring him home we need you, both of you swear you will." carol nodded "oh honey I'll do it when he gets back we'll come home." carol took her hands and sat on the bed Maggie squeezed them and giggled "so anything happen between you two I mean with the vest something happened but judging by the bed roll in the corner it didn't go that far." carol smiled "yeah I guess we have something now I mean he kind of kissed me before he left but he might not make it back this time I'm worried." she nodded "carol he will make it back I promise he took a bullet and an arrow to find your little girl he took a bullet from one of negan's men and fought negan with no strength left was taken and tortured but he found you again now he's back to full strength and on a war path and in love he'll be back for you." she smiles grabbing the vest pocket knowing Daryl was keep something there she pulled out a braided piece of black leather and smiles seeing the small arrow head it held and slipped it on carols wrist a perfect fit carol's eyes widened Maggie smiled "he was always fiddling with something I knew it was for you he love's seeing your smile when he brought somethin back betcha he'll bring you something from this."carol flipped it over and saw the little flower engraved on it she smiled Maggie looked at it "a flower but why." carol ran a finger over it "not just a flower it's a Cherokee rose Daryl brought one back when he was out looking for Sophia guess it was where we kind of began to share with each other." she nodded "you know we lived long enough to catch on to who's killing for their survival and who kills just to kill and when they fight each other the one with something to fight for survives Daryl will survive because he has you. now come down visit with michonne and Judith take your mind off things for awhile." carol smiled "you know I'd love too just give me a minute I need to hang up that shirt and put my shoes on." carol stood and walked into the bathroom and hung the shirt on the rail above the tub and walked back in to the room and sat down putting her shoes back on and slid her jacket on over the vest not caring to leave it behind Maggie nodded as she slid her gun into her back like Daryl kept his hidden and smiled "alright lets go." they walked out and into the courtyard where rick and michonne and Judith where playing in the garden Maggie approached them and carol walked behind her and noticed the flower in Judith's hands and kneeled down next to her "hey little one what you got there." rick smiled down at Judith and looked over at carol "saw it outside the gate across the road we thought we would bring it to you make you feel better bout everything thats happening." carol smiled then looks over at Maggie "he'll be fine." Maggie smiled glancing at the flower "its that flower isn't it." carol nodded "Cherokee rose he'll be fine I know he will." Judith handed the flower over to carol and she smiled "awe thank you little one." when she let go of the flower Judith made a grabbing motion to her and carol handed the flower to Maggie and grabbed Judith who wrapped her little hands around Daryl's vest behind carols jacket and tugged on it burying her face in it were they could all see it rick and michonne's eyes widened and rick looked up in carol's eye's "he left it with you." she nodded "yeah he did." she looked down at Judith and brushed a hand though her hair and looked back up at them "he'll be safe, we will all be safe and back together in Alexandria and negan will be gone." Judith smiles up at carol and touches her cheek and carol notices a little bracelet on her wrist with beads saying "lil' ass kicker." she looks at rick "let me guess Daryl right." rick nodded "yup he wanted her to have something from him. How'd you know." carol pulled the sleeve of her jacket down and showed him "he left it in the pocket Maggie found it."


	2. Chapter 2

24 hours later...

Daryl sat outside the saviors compound and watched the gates open and the trucks roll out and turn towards hilltop he prayed that Maggie wasn't there anymore and they had there tribute. He'd be sure to get it all back to them soon enough he walked around back and taped on the fence three times and a pallet from the fence was moved and Dwight stuck his head out whispering "all clear brother, this way." he backs up and Daryl climbs through the hole following Dwight to negan's room. Dwight stopped in-front of negan's home and smiled "well this is it man." Daryl smiled "thanks you should get out of here before he gets back take your girl and go north its clear up that way for a ways." Dwight shook his head "naw man i'ma see this thing through to the end." Daryl nodded "a'ight your choice man might need your help anyway." Daryl couldn't help but think about carol how she was doing and when negan would reach the kingdom.

he looked up feeling Dwight's eyes on him Dwight smiled "you got a girl waiting for you out there man or family." Daryl sighed "why do you ask." Dwight shrugged "why else would you risk your life to kill one man." Daryl smirked "yeah I guess I got someone that's waiting for me to come back if thats what ya mean." Dwight nodded "yeah exactly that, come with me you got a women waiting for you why not bring a souvenir back for her we have a bunch of things that nobody wants or will need after tonight while we wait you can look through them." Daryl's mouth quirks in thought.

Dwight chuckles "come whats ours is yours or will be soon enough you kill negan and we answer to you." Daryl glances over to him concerned "i don't want to be your new negan when he's dead y'all will be free to survive like everyone else has been." Dwight smirks "you don't want to be a leader, figure you'd lead better then that man you where with, rick was it." Daryl shook his head "naw man that ain't me I'm a hunter, a solider not a leader wouldn't know the first thing bout it." Dwight walked toward the room housing looted goods and supplies glancing back "you would be a great leader you care about your people, protect them, and keep 'em fed thats all a good leader is now a-days man thats all the leaders you've met have except your man rick see he needs you to keep his people safe and fed sure he may care for them but in the grand scheme he's weak your the real leader so why not be ours bring your woman stay here its more secure than that place you where before." Daryl glances around and sighs running his fingers over a table of knives "you know if we survive this I'll consider it, I mean this place, it does seem safer."

his hand skims over a smooth blue opal knife with a antler handle he smiles "this blade is Cherokee isn't it." he turns it in his hand Dwight smiles "its a beautiful peace bet your woman would like that I mean its color would turn anyone's eye." Daryl nods "i think she'll love it not only because of color but because of its linage." Dwight stares confused "why would the fact that its Cherokee matter." Daryl smirks "just a legend I told her when she lost her little girl the legend of the Cherokee rose it made her feel better." Dwight smiled "ah so its like a thing you two have a connection through a lose there is no connection stronger." Daryl nods "i failed her then to bring her girl back to her I wont fail again." he slid the knife into its sheath and into his pocket and moved to the next table that held jewelry his mind flashed to the bracelet he had left in the pocket of his vest hoping she found it he glanced down at the table at the necklaces there he sees two leather necklaces bullets hanging off them his and hers carved into the sides he palms them while Dwight is busy looking over the knives he pockets them and turns to Dwight "should probably head back." he snags a can of spray paint from the table as he passes and keeps walking heading back to negan's room.

he smirks and sits in the high backed chair turning looking around the room "so why did he leave you behind aren't you like his second in command or something." Dwight laughed "yeah not anymore after I didn't bring you back 'alive' he said I was lucky to not be banished to the walker pits." Daryl sighed "yeah sorry bout that man." Dwight laughed "yeah dude its not a problem really I'm glad I did that I could tell you wouldn't break and eventually negan would have gotten bored and bashed your head in or something." he smirks "cause truthfully man your stronger then him and those are the people he takes out first when he meets a new group so guess it was a lucky break that I shot ya huh." Daryl growled softly "still haven't forgiven you for that you know." Dwight smirked "sorry man again." Daryl just turns and tugs the necklaces from his pockets and slips the "her one" over his head and tucks it under his shirt brushing his fingers over the "his only" one and sighs softly hoping it will all be over soon and he could go home he put the his only next to the other around his neck and tucked it under too.

he didn't no know how long they sat in silence till there was a crackle on Dwight walkie and a voice could be heard "Dwight you there we'll be back early got a great haul everyone was already waiting and prepared almost like they knew we was coming." Dwight looked over at Daryl rolling his eyes and answered back "maybe they've all finally learned their place sir." negan laughed over the walkie "yup all it took was for them to lose that one man and they all submit like puppy dogs can't believe it coulda sworn that man was just a henchmen like big red.." Daryl growled to that remark hearing "but looks like he was actually something of a leader at Alexandria I mean that rick he's nothing but a broken man raising another mans kid its just sad. They where all a mess once I told them about their friend whats his name..." Dwight replied "Daryl sir." negan spoke again "yeah Daryl, they all broke down when I told 'em he was biter chow and when it happened." Dwight smiled "yeah bet that was a sight you need me to do anything 'fore you get back." he heard negan's men shouting through the walkie before the reply "naw we're 'bout there I just wanna relax in my chair let the men take care of the supply checks." Daryl smirked knowing the chair negan was talking about was the one he was sitting in he looked up at Dwight who smiled and answered back to negan "alright see you when you get back sir." the other end was silent Dwight smirked saying mockingly "see you Dwight glad your still alive." Daryl snorted at that and turned to him "yeah like that would ever happen." Dwight smiled "exactly."

Dwight walked out of the room to check on the prisoners and other things he made his way back when another crackle came over the walkie he rushed the rest of the way and was inside when negan spoke on the other end "yo we're back have the gate man let us in." Daryl looked up and Dwight saw a flash in his eyes could have been anger, fear, or a combination of the two but it passed the no feeling mask he'd grown to know so fast he wasn't sure Daryl picked up the crossbow from the table as he stood and Dwight called the gate man "yo their back open her up." he looked back over at Daryl "got yourself another bow I see." Daryl nodded "s'not all I brought this time though." he pulled a grenade out of his bag pocket and held it up Dwight's eyes widened "now where'd you get something like that?" "show ya when we get done here now go you don't wanna be caught in his office now do ya." Dwight nodded "yeah guess I should go." Dwight walks out.

Daryl paces around the office till he hears the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hall and Dwight speak outside "so it was all good that weirdo with the big cat give you trouble." negan laughed "no actually one of his subjects controlled the drop this time a Grey haired lady she was overly nice but you could see the killer in her eye's. Swear she had this way about her she might have been trained by that Daryl man." he heard the footsteps stop "a women huh could be his women he used to talk to a women while he was sleeping, a carol, seemed as if she died or something though." negan laughed "could be she just ran off or maybe their crew banished her and told him she was dead." Daryl smirked when he heard this but it was gone with the steps that grew closer he moved to the hinge side of the door silently as it opened he saw negan walk in and Dwight behind him negan dropped Lucille on the table and shed his jacket and spoke turning as Dwight closed the door exposing daryl "so how are the prison- - -what the hell is going on." daryl crossed the room grabbed Lucille and tossed it to Dwight who stood at the door blocking the only exit daryl knocked negan to his knees and pulled his buck knife from his belt Dwight saw a smile cross Daryl's face "been waiting for this for weeks since I got out... and that women from the kingdom I did train her have since the beginning my women the only family I got left.." he laid his knife on negan's throat pressing slightly "you killed my friends; killed a unborn child's dad, and a war hero... now I'm here to kill you." he pressed deeper on his knife feeling the blood trickle over his fingers causing him to press even harder "my family is broken and you did that, tried to put it on me but I know my worth I may be nothing but I matter, now you lead, you kill, you loot but ya mean nothing you don't have family and to these survivors your nothing and now..." he pressed and slid the knife across his throat muttering softly looking up at the ceiling negan's body dropping to the floor "your dead." he strode over and grabbed the jacket from were negan threw it and slid it on a perfect fit he smirked leaning over negan's body "your reign is over you motherless poxy bastard." he turned negan's body over and watched the life bleed out of him and waited for him to turn.

he held his hand out and Dwight passed him the bat "you waiting for the turn." daryl glanced up exuding utter calmness "oh yeah!" he stands up straight then negan's body started to move and a horrible howl rattled the office as the corpse sat up and reached out to daryl who swung the bat home not just once but four times his anger rolling off him in waves and he dropped the bat to the floor sitting down in the chair pulling his handkerchief out of his back pocket wiping his knife off sticking his feet up on the desk and sighs "that was almost too easy.. you weren't wrong he was weak." Dwight smirked "that was real man you made that almost seem effortless." daryl ran his clean hand through his hair standing up stepping over negan's corpse with the spray can of paint sticking it in his bag "all right lets go break the news." he opens the door and Dwight follows behind picking up the bat closing the door behind him locking it behind them.

daryl glances back at Dwight "call a meeting everyone outside." daryl walked down the hall to the cells "man where you going." daryl smirks "freeing the prisoners that are safe enough to be freed." Dwight nods "A1, B4 and C2 they are safe the rest are killers man." daryl nods and Dwight tosses him the keys "got it I'll be out there as soon as I get them out." daryl ran down the hall and Dwight walked out to the people gathering them in the biggest open space in the courtyard daryl released the prisoners and they where all wary at first but when they saw blood dripping from his fingers and the jacket they knew to be negan's they spoke softly "so you killed him."one said, "you was one of us weren't you." said the third and the second smiled having heard all about the infamous archer that would appear out of nowhere and help people "your the guy with the rocket launcher that blew up all those men aren't you." all daryl did was nod once answering all three of them and muttered "follow me." he had grabbed weapons from the store room and hand each of them one to protect themselves and took them to the loose panel in the fence he opened it there's a car bout a block down there's a map it will lead you to a place called hilltop ask for Jesus tell 'em daryl sent ya you'll be safe there I'll be around in a couple days with supplies." he gave them a smile and they each thanked him and slipped through the hole in the fence when they where gone he slid the panel back in place and pulled the can of spray paint from his bag seeing the fire escape he climbed up and wrote in large letters on the top floor of the building "those who suffer survive, I survived negan, fear the name Dixon." he huffed and crawled back down.

walking right up to the front where Dwight was talking to one of the men daryl recognized as one of negan's higher ups Dwight noticed daryl and motioned for the crowd to sit on the scattered chairs and things whispers floated through the crowd a daryl whistled loudly silencing them "now y'all are probably wondering why Dwight gathered you and where negan is well I'm not one to beat around the bush so here it is I killed him, he's gone, your all free from that son of a bitch you got no reason to hurt anyone anymore and I want you to know y'all can survive and thrive here don't need to worry about anyone retaliating but know this you follow in negan's footsteps any of ya and you'll die like him, just like him..." he pulls his knife exposing his blood stained hand "by my hand." everyone of them was silent and Dwight stepped up next to him "and if you don't believe him believe me I saw the whole thing fer myself he's gone never to rise again." a brave man stood in the center of the crowd and spoke "so what are you gonna be like our leader now or something and how do we get food." daryl sighed "for now Dwight will lead I have to take care of things else where and as far as food you can scout stores and houses just like the people you have been taking from do. Now I need a bike some fuel and some men to carry supplies any volunteers." couple of men stood up and nodded.

Dwight smiled and pointed to the man he was talking to "go get his bike that one I brought back the triumph gas it up take it to the gate." he pointed to two others "you and you get the truck that wasn't unloaded we're taken that stuff back to where it belongs. The rest of you back to work." Dwight handed daryl the bat and nodded "told ya that would happen." daryl nodded "yeah I'll see bout that you run this place for now don't send people to hilltop, Alexandria or the kingdom alright." Dwight nodded "you got it but right now you said you'd show me where you got that lovely little grenade." daryl smiled "yeah said I would you grab a bike come along we'll stop by Alexandria first tell everyone I'm alive and all leave hilltop for last because they have more stuff hidden around their compound they can survive longer without it." Dwight smiled "and of course get your women at the kingdom right." daryl smiled softly and a blush creeped up his neck "yeah that too." he pulled his crossbow off his back and tied it to the back running his hand over the bike, his brothers bike and seeing Dwight pull up in on an old Harley followed by one of the big trucks.

Dwight pulled up next to him and passed him a walkie "so I can get a hold of ya to answer questions and stuff." daryl nodded and clipped it to his belt next to his knife "alright lets go." he sat on the bike and negan's bat tied across the front and the gate was opened and they where off and when they reached Alexandria daryl revved the engine twice the signal to open the gates when the gate opened he saw Aaron who's eye's widened before he stumbled back mouthing "daryl what the hell." daryl smiled and Aaron pulled the gate open and daryl rode through the gate's followed by Dwight and the truck people poured out of houses when they heard the truck rumble through the gates daryl turned off his bike and the engines behind him went silent too rick walked down to daryl who climbed off his bike and Judith saw him from michonne's arms and reached out to him babbling softly "d-dd-dary." everyone's eye's flashed to him when he grabbed the girl and she wrapped her clean pudgy arms around his neck his smile grew "hey little ass-kicker I missed you." the contrast between the clean baby and daryl wasn't lost on them, rick squeezed Daryl's shoulder a silent thank you and michonne nodded at daryl "carol was so sure you'd make it all cause of a silly little flower." daryl chuckled "the rose, where'd she see it." michonne gestured to Judith "Judy found it and brought it to her." daryl looked down at the girl in his arms "my little ass-kicker now why am I not surprised." he brushed his clean hand through her hair he kissed her forehead whispering "thank you sweetheart." he passed her to rick and walked back to the truck.

He directed the two men to open her up and unload the stuff they took from them "brought you guys back a little something thought you could use it." Dwight walked up to daryl and nodded "see that your more of a leader then you think man." rick shot a look at daryl motioning to Dwight and daryl nodded then looked back to Dwight "i guess so should probably tell him your alright by me and you helped an all before he tries to kill ya." Dwight smirked and motioned with his head for him to go "yeah I don't feel like dying today." daryl walked back over to rick who was watching the people unload the truck and glancing wearily at Dwight "daryl you sure about them I mean they are negan's men he was negan's right hand for god sake." daryl smirked "i'm sure, he saved my life helping me escape and they have a rule you kill the leader you become the leader they ain't gonna touch me and he may have been negan's right hand but when I got free he was lucky not to be sent to their walker pits he's a good man trust me." rick nodded "okay okay if you can trust him." daryl spotted Maggie standing on the porch to her and Glenn's house and he looked away just another member of her family he couldn't save she must have saw him look away cause seconds later he heard footsteps approach him and a small soft hand lay on his shoulder turning him her way then was wrapped in a hug and heard her whisper "i don't blame you daryl I don't, I cant your family and you've fought harder than any of us." he shuddered a breath and she pulled away squeezing his arm softly "you need to go, I think someone else needs you more than we do right now or you just need her go." he nodded softly looking up through his hair she brushed it out of his eye's "have her cut your hair to I don't know how you can see anything with that mop in your eyes." she saw his mouth twitch softly she knew he would be okay.

but would need carol she was the only one that can get through to him like this love was the only thing that spoke to the broken man that stood in front of her "go daryl it's okay you can go we'll be okay." he stepped back and turned to the men at the truck shouting "alright close 'er up lets move out." she smiled knowing he was a natural leader since the prison and Judith's formula run the man with the blonde hair smirked she noticed like he thought the same thing daryl walked over to him and she heard them talk "now you'll see who gave me the grenade." dwight scoffed "okay so it wasnt her then with the sword or the one who hugged you." daryl shook his head "nah better." he turned back and looked at rick "hey." he pulled something from his bag and tossed it to rick "i wont be needing this for the drive keep it for me huh." Maggie glanced in ricks hands "the grenade." could it have been carol got a hold of something like this rick was mesmerized and stared back at daryl "she had another." daryl just smiled and turned to his bike climbing back on Aaron opened the gate back up and the convoy was out of the gates.


	3. Chapter 3

Alexandria was a buzz when daryl drove away...

Maggie heard a bunch of whispering one of the guys she'd seen around but never cared to learn his name spoke loud enough for her to hear "but didn't negan say that daryl was killed by walkers in the woods." she turned her head glancing at him scoffing "you don't know much about Daryl Dixon do you." the man shook his head and she smiled taking a sidelong glance at rick who stepped forward "you should all know the kind of man daryl is all you have ever seen is the reclusive hunter but that isn't who he is he's the kind of man thats willing to risk his life for a little girl who got lost in the Georgia woods and wouldn't give up even after he fell down a cliff taking an arrow in the side and bullet in the head, he's the kind of guy that even when he's nearly dead on his feet from being shot in the shoulder loosing enough blood to down any normal man he rises gathering every bit of strength left to fight to protect us from negan getting taken prisoner and who knows what else to take down the man and bring supplies back to us and everyone else that's the kind of man he is he's a real leader. Nothing like a simple walker attack can bring down a Dixon trust us on that." they all stared at rick confused.

one of the kids asked quietly to Maggie "why did Mr. Dixon leave couldn't he stay here a lot of us kids feel safer with him here." Maggie crouched down and smiled softly "he's got others to take care of right now bringing food back to them and there's just a part of him that isn't here it's out there with someone else but he'll come back to us he always does." whispers floated around "god did you see his hand it was covered in blood it was all over his pants too." someone else spoke "i know he didn't even seen to notice at all." someone else Maggie didn't know spoke "he's a wild man did you see his eye's it's like he wasn't himself anymore killing a man didn't affect him at all." Maggie groaned "thats what you assholes really think the man risks his life for all of ya and this is how you act you have know idea the kind of man he is and you wonder why he doesn't stick around he has always had a hard time opening up to others and now I understand why you people make me sick if carol was here you wouldn't so much as think those things. God how would you feel if he left this place led a crew elsewhere huh cause he could he could be the new negan." she walked back into her house.

they all looked around at each other worried "oh my god could she be serious would he just leave." Carl muttered softly in the crowd "well yeah, daryl has only ever came back with one person in mind if she comes home he'll come back but good luck with that she hates it here too. They belong out there this place it's all a fantasy they don't think it will last all of us that lived out there we're like daryl we've lived through a lot him more than most." rick smiled softly "their right, you guys here have had it easy. Daryl's actually the most well adjusted of us you've got only a small taste of the world out there he's lived in this kind of hell long before the apocalypse even began and is still a man and a hero and he is the new negan in the leadership only but it doesn't mean he wont come back that's up to his heart and that takes him where ever carol goes." michonne sighed "you all might just have to face the facts they may never come back. You all need to know that just because we got a good thing here they might have something better somewhere else where they can be themselves with no judgments."

the kingdom gates...

he pulls up to the gates turns off his bike and dismounts walking up to the guard nodding softly to the man "sir daryl this is unexpected we weren't expecting you back so soon lady carol will be pleased and I see you brought friends his highness will want to call an audience with you to hear about the mission come on in relax and your men they seem like they could use a rest some food and water." daryl nodded "that'd be great we also brought what negan took from you." the men from the gate cheered and daryl glanced back at the three guys talking by the truck and the all clears sounded he nodded at the guards and stepped back to his bike making the engine roar to life and his men loaded back up in there respected vehicles making them come alive and the gates clattered open and he led them through and up to drive the gates closing behind them daryl drives up and pulls to a stop sliding the kickstand into place glancing around he looks up to where he knows carols window is and smiles.

a crowd starts to form around the group that came in and he checked faces searching for only one the one that he knew the one he loved when Dwight whistled sharply causing him to turn with a sigh "yeah." Dwight knew that face who ever was here she was special "where's this women the one with the grenades." daryl shrugged "i know she's here just hold on." he glanced around one more time and noticed a flash of gray in the crowd then she was there running down to him he braced himself and his bike for the impact and then she was there arm's tangled in his hair little sobs breaking her breathing his hands knew there place one found its way to her head and the other her back and he buried his face in her neck smelling flowers and leather still straddling the triumph he mumbled softly in her neck "i told you i'd come back I always find my way back to you." she sniffled softly pulling back a little bit and cupped his cheeks "thank god." daryl smiled softly noticing his vest poking out from under her jacket "hey someone wants to meet you." he turned his head and whistled at Dwight and his hand moved from her back and waved him over.

she backed up and gripped the handle of his bike glancing down "you got your brothers bike back." her eyes meeting his as his hand ran across the gas tank "yeah finally." his hand grazes hers when Dwight approaches them with a smirk "so I'm to assume this lovely women is the one who gave you the grenade then." carol nods and Dwight reaches out a hand to her "its nice to meet you, you must be carol." carol glanced down at daryl who turned slightly red and shook the mans hand "yes that's me and you are." Dwight smirked and a voice came from behind them stepping out of the crowd Morgan "his names Dwight was negan's right hand man..." Morgan shot a look at daryl "daryl I cant believe you brought three of them here what gives you the right they should be dead." carol moved out of Daryl's way but noticed the two men by the truck step forward clocking the threat to their new leader as Morgan came forward.

daryl stepped off the bike pulling the bat off with one hand stepping forward pushing Dwight out of the way with one hand a disgusted smirk playing on the corners of his mouth he raised the bat to Morgans throat "this, this is what gives me the right they may have been negan's men but that stopped when my knife slashed clean through his throat..."the two men by the truck stepped behind daryl and so did Dwight daryl dropped his hand with the bat "their my men now his stuff is mine and you can get over yourself ya sum'bitch life's not all rainbows and whatever shit your zen master showed you this is life you kill or you die its just how it is. If you don't like it you can follow negan in death..."his other hand on his buck knife tapping it Morgan steps back and daryl drops his hand back off his knife the gesture saying it all "but you know and I know rick respects you, carol too that's why you aren't gonna die today not by my hand..." raising his hands to gesture to the men as well "or theirs. I trust them and just know I don't like you 'cause the second that women there..."he gestures his head to carol "says you did anythin' wrong your gone, you feel me." carol smiled softly daryl looks over at her and her fingers curl in a come here gesture and the disgusted smirk gives way to his soft smile he saves just for her he looks back at Morgan "now how bout ya go play with your stick elsewhere these men they have a job to do." he turns back to the Dwight and the others "the storage is up the drive you guys probably know the way people should be there to help only drop what you took the rest goes to hilltop." they nod and walk away and Dwight smiles "i knew there was a leader in you daryl not as hard as it looks is it." daryl shook his head gesturing to the truck "give me a bit will you got some stuff I need to do here." Dwight nodded and walked to his bike and the three where gone.

daryl walked his bike out of the way and carol walked with him to the stables where the kept the motorcycles he parked it and laid the bat against his leg and unhooked his bow from the back tossing it on his shoulder and grabs her back in his arms and she ran her fingers softly through his hair "you did it pookie. You are a man of honor but then to me you always where." his arms shift to his neck pulling off the slightly shorter of the two necklaces holding her with one hand he pulls it off with the other and lifts it over her head and lays it against her neck carefully she notices his hand covered in blood and skates a hand across his neck and grabs the necklace "awe its beautiful pookie." he smiles "s'not all I got you." he pulled the knife from his pocket she stepped back a little shoulder brushing his "hun you really didn't need to get me anything." he handed it to her "come on it's perfect and you need a back up knife okay, please just take it for me cause I need to know you have a back up." she grabbed it and slid the knife out of its sheath and her eyes grow big he smiles leaning his head closer and whispers "it's blue opal, Cherokee handmade saw it thought of you,... my Cherokee rose." he bent his head down and kissed her shoulder softly.

Sighing he laid his head on her shoulder mumbling "they want me to go back be their new leader, but rick and them they need me too..." he shudders out a breath "what do I do. I need you to tell me." she turns into him and holds his head against her "whatever you decide i'll come with you okay no matter what, I know you think you owe rick but that debts been payed with blood more than once. You owe a new debt to those people you left them leader less and I think thats what you need to do. There's to much history to much death back in Alexandria it's why I left too." she grabs his cheeks pulling his head up to make him look at her "rick'll understand, you need time to heal, to grow, to be the leader we all know you are, the natural born leader who took it upon himself to search for my baby the one who kept that baby girl back at Alexandria alive when her own daddy went crazy with grief that's the man people need but you know honey it doesn't have to be forever just till their accustomed to our way of livin' okay." his lips twitched softly and she kissed his cheek "now how bout we get you cleaned up huh." he nods softly and mutters "i think I pulled my stitches when I beat the bastards head in cause it hurts something awful you think you can fix it don't wanna bother the damn doctor again." she grabs his hand and he picks up the bat wincing softly she squeezes his hand "course I can.. almost forgot I'm lovin' that jacket on you fits ya perfect you can use it for winter and I can stitch some wings on it for you too." she walks him to her room and sits him on the bed unzipping the jacket and letting him shrug out of it.

she fills up a bowl of water and grabs him a clean shirt from the bag she kept for him when she walks back in with all the stuff she needs he has his shirt tugged off and tossed in the corner crossbow and bag behind him on the bed and the jacket laying next to him she sees a necklace against his skin realizing it was the match to the one she had she laid the bowl of warm water at his feet and kneels in front of him grabbing his hand she dips a piece of cloth into the bowl and grazes his hand and arm cleaning the blood off checking him over as she went like she used too at the prison after Merle died

(that day she never forgot he came back all alone and instantly everyone was trying to apologize and pay respects but he wouldn't hear any of it he'd walked past everyone and to her no words just his eye's saying "I need your help please." and blood was on his face and arms he walked into the prison and she followed him in.)

they'd come along way since then because now he felt safe enough in her presence that his scars didn't bother him anymore as she looked into his eye's shaded by hair quiet tears trickled down his face and she tucked his hair behind his ear with one hand the other dipping the rag back in the water and she wiped his face clean too he spoke so softly she didn't catch it at first and asked him what he said he spoke louder grabbing her hand with the rag and taking it from his face "she forgave me told me she didn't blame me for Glenn that it wasn't me it was negan that I-." he scrubbed a hand across his face and she brushes fingers through his hair "she's right you know it ain't your fault I know that and everyone that love's you your family they know. And it's okay to need to feel it I'm here if you need me." he laid his forehead against her head and laid his hands on the back of her neck "thank you." she shifted up and kissed him softly running her fingers along the necklace around his neck hand pressed softly over his heart feeling slight flutters as her fingers hit skin "I'm yours right your person anything you need I'll do it." he pulls her up grabbing her hips "ya have been for a while just took me this long to find a way to show you." he drags her down on his lap pulling her into his kiss her hands found his hair.

he paused pulling back enough to ask "wait.. do you like my hair this way." she ran her fingers through it slowly and he sighed she smiled "course I do hun why do you ask." he ran his hands over her jacket and she shed it on the floor "'s nothin' Maggie said sum-thin' is all." she smiled "want a trim not to short but you know like you had back at the prison." he hummed softly "maybe I should." she laid a hand on his shoulder causing him to wincing "later though, lets get this taken care of first okay." she pulled back and moved the jacket to the end of the bed moving the water to the makeshift table beside it she pulls the bandage off his back and runs water over the wound dabbing the blood away softly she restitches it and kisses the skin above it before bandaging it back up.

laying her head on his back "you save everyone pookie but who saves you huh?" he lays a hand on her knee looking back "you do of course just being here you save me if I didn't know you I woulda been dead long ago I'm reckless you know that you the thought of you it helps me from going to far." she wrapped her arms around his waist brushing his stomach with her fingers he moves his stuff to the floor and moves to lay down she lets hims lay his head in her lap she runs her fingers through his hair he grabs her hand pulling it under his arm and against his cheek "i love you." he whispers "awe sweetie." she bends down kissing his head lips on his ear "and I love you too. Rest huh those men of yours they need a break could see it in their eye's they wont do anything you took charge so they trust you they know your strong besides its getting late Ezekiel still gonna wanna talk to you but in the morning you and me drop the last of the food and setup in the savior compound," he turned into her stomach and she shrugged off his vest wrapping it around him to cover his back in case someone came in he buried his face in her stomach and drifted off to sleep she brushed her fingers through his hair.

they stayed this way for an hour when and a knock sounded she called out softly "come in it's open." a knight, one of Ezekiel's court walks in "his Majesty requests Sir Daryl's presence in the throne room in 30 minutes." she nodded "okay I'll tell him."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thirty minutes later in the auditorium they called the throne room...**_.

Daryl stood looking around waiting for the man they called king Ezekiel he scoffed at the idea of all this king business because it didn't make sense to him he thought it was foolish and corny but he would never say that out-loud for fear of what the freak with the tiger could potentially do to him.

He paced the aisle when doors opened and the man himself walked through he sat in the large throne tiger at his side. Daryl turned and kneeled respectfully because after all these people did harbor him and keep him safe while he healed Ezekiel spoke "you may rise daryl." he looked up at the man who smiled back "you come bearing the gift of food and news of negan's demise I must say mister Dixon I didn't know what to make of you when my men first found you almost dead in the walker infested woods thought you would be trouble but you saved all of us and managed to turn his whole crew in less than a day amazing truly a man of honor but then again any person lady carol trusts couldn't be bad."

Daryl smirked "naw it's not just killed a man nothing special." Ezekiel nodded "none the less daryl you have proven yourself worthy you deserve to be rewarded you will become a knight before days end I will call a convocation for everyone to bear witness. Your dismissed." daryl bowed slightly with a smirk and turned away.

He was out of the room in seconds carol waited just outside the door "hey pookie how'd it go." he shook his head "that man is taking this whole king thing to heart.. I'm to be knighted today." she smiled "oh my god pookie thats wonderful, it maybe that it's completely insane but hun now all these people they will see you like I do the brave, insanely kind man I always knew was there, live it, embrace it." he nudged her shoulder "stop." he shifted closer to her nuzzling her shoulder.

She laughed "no I will not you deserve it everything your getting now is compensation for your suffering." he stood up straight "okay so where's yours huh if this is some sort of cosmic justice wheres your pay back." she clasped her hands on his cheeks "its you duh through all this I've survived you have been there through it all you are what kept me from going off the deep end 'specially after I lost my little girl. Your everything I needed and will ever need." she pulled him down to her lips kissing him fiercely "everything you hear me everything." he didn't say anything just nodded.

His hands skimming up and down her back he finally sighed "don't need anything just you and a good bow all I ever need. My bow was all I needed before but now couldn't do this shit without you." she curled her arms against him "course you could." he wrapped around her tighter "yeah don't mean I wanna though." they both knew it would all be okay now or at least they would be together and really they couldn't hope for anything more then that.

 _ **Fini**_


End file.
